TRAVEL LATEST: At least SEVEN more days of disruption for Buxton-Manchester rail line commuters

The landslip and broken rail at Middlewood, on the line between Buxton and Hazel Grove. Photo: Northern.

Keith Spooner

Published:15:57Wednesday 15 June 2016

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Commuters have endured days of travel misery after flash flooding brought Buxton’s rail service to a grinding halt.

Engineers are working to repair a landslip at Middlewood Station, near Disley, which was caused by torrential rain in the area on Saturday afternoon, leading to localised flash flooding.

Services along the line between Buxton and Hazel Grove were initially suspended over the weekend.

Trains are now operating between Buxton and Furness Vale to an amended hourly timetable, with replacement buses ferrying passengers on to connecting services at Hazel Grove or New Mills Central.

The disruption is causing major headaches for commuters and travellers, as well as children getting to school in Buxton and Manchester.

Heavy rainfall washed away the foundations to a section of the railway line between Norbury Hollow and Disley tunnel.

Network Rail said engineers and workers have had to remove up to 6,000 tonnes of material, requiring the track to be removed and then replaced.

A spokesman said today (Wednesday) that its engineers were working non-stop to repair the landslip and could not give a final date for the completion of the work. National Rail and Northern say it expects the disruption to continue until at least Wednesday June 22.

Commuters and parents have been voicing their anger on the Advertiser’s Facebook page.

Fraser Brisbane said: “A lot of commuters from the Chapel, Whaley, New Mills area are now using the Chinley, New Mills Central, Marple line into Manchester, but why haven’t Northern put on additional carriages?”

The disruption is also hitting children getting to local schools, which is particularly troublesome during the GCSE exams.

Hayley Dawn said: “A lot of school children use the train to go to St Thomas More. My eldest is in year 11 and currently doing his GCSEs, as are many of his friends.

“It’s been a nightmare trying to arrange transport that will ensure he gets to school in time for his 9am start when both myself and his dad work.

“While Network Rail have a rail replacement service it obviously takes so much longer to get there.”

A spokesperson for St Thomas More school said: “We have a few students who arrived late, but by and large parents seem to be making alternative arrangements.

“We have had exams this week but thankfully they have been in the afternoon. “Crunch time will come on Friday when there is a morning exam, although we have advised parents to keep this in mind.”